Clarissa Cameron

Clarissa Cameron came into this world on August 27, 1919 as the oldest of 12 children born to Amos Boone and Minnie Issac Boone in Franklin, Texas. She often stated that there was little need for friends growing up because there were so many sisters and brothers to play with. These many sisters and brothers also helped with the chores around the house, in the garden and in the cotton fields. For many years, the family traveled to Mart, Texas and lived in a cabin in the midst of the cotton field and picked cotton for the entire season. At the end of the season, the family would return home with enough money to live on until cotton picking season rolled around again. Only at the end of the cotton picking season did school start for the children. Clarissa attended the Franklin Colored School. When she was old enough, she started working at the Reynolds? store.

At age 17, she met Kenneth Cameron, a preacher?s kid. After a period of courtship, they married on February 18, 1939. Clarissa often remarked, ?It took him 2 years to ask me to marry him?. Obviously, she said yes! Yes, to the marriage; Yes, to starting a family in December of that year; Yes, to the addition of another child to the family two years later; Yes, to moving to Pierce Junction, Texas and yes, to returning to Franklin while Kenneth did a stint in the military during which time a third child was born. Only two weeks after Kenneth was discharged from the military, a house fire claimed the lives of the two youngest children.

After the grieving, well into the healing, the family moved to. Though she was now a goodly distance away from Franklin, Clarissa maintained a strong connection to her parents, was especially close to her mother and would do anything for her sisters and brothers.

With God as the head of the household, Clarissa worked to create a good home for her family that, over time expanded to include four more children. She brought abundant love and excellent skills to the art of keeping house: sewing, upholstery, embroidery, cooking, baking ? homemade ice cream and sweet potato pie were stand-outs. She also turned a head or two with her stunning good looks, her stylish dress, her fabulous shoes and her exotic hats.

With faith deeply rooted in God, Clarissa continued a tradition of being very active in the church through her service and praise, through the use of healing hands ? the blessed oil was never out of reach- through her singing, through her work as a missionary and, in later years, as a church mother. It was understood that when furniture was missing from the living room, it was being used in a church program. And all the people who swarmed in and out of the house periodically were there to purchase chicken dinners or fish dinners that were sold as part of fundraising for the church.

Clarissa was a member of several local churches to include 25th Street Church of God in Christ, 34th Street Temple Church of God in Christ and Greater Emanuel Church of God in Christ. She visited many churches in the area and, in the early years, also enjoyed the annual convocations in Waco, Texas but she claimed lifetime membership in the St. Joseph Church of God in Christ in Franklin.

Clarissa lived the good life. After Kenneth passed, that good life continued to be provided by her children. Special praises to her daughters Clara and Yolanda who took excellent care of her until she left this world on December 24, 2013 to live on for all eternity.